Around Town

Spots Still Available in Watertown Rec’s Pequossette Summer Program

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The Watertown Recreation Department’s Pequossette Summer Program begins on June 27, and it still has spots available. Children can sign up for one to eight weeks of the summer program, which runs through Aug. 18, and promotes “physical well being as well as a good sense of self-esteem,” said Pequossette Director Brian Donato in a letter about the summer camp. “Our leadership team believes that a diverse schedule keeps the children engaged and encourages them to try and learn new things and make connections with peers. It is our goal to create a family atmosphere in which your child can grow, develop, and create long lasting friendships with peers and positive relationships with our staff,” Donato wrote.

Sports

Watertown Youth Softball Team Wins Trophy in End of Year Tournament

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Watertown Youth Softball’s 12U team ended the season by claiming a trophy in the City Town Tournament. The team defeated Waltham 10-2 on Monday in the championship game. The tournament also includes teams from Belmont and Brighton. The Watertown 12U squad is coached by John Husson and David Reilly. The players are Lara Cordeiro, Katie Haley, Liliana Souza, Ava Husson, Victoria Reilly, Abigail Bass, Cela Hoyt, Elizabeth Parmley, Sadie David and Riley Doss.

Sports

Watertown Youth Baseball Team Plays in NESN Tournament for Players with Disabilities

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The Watertown Youth Baseball Challengers joined other teams with players with disabilities at the second annual NESN Connects Baseball Tournament last weekend. The tournament is a one-day, four team event at Joseph Lalli Miracle Field in Acton. Along with the Challengers, the Newton Tigers, Miacle Leauge All Stars and the Miracle League Dream Team played in the tournament. More than 30 NESN employees volunteered to assist athletes as part of the NESN Connects program, according to the Watertown-based sports channel. The mostly served as “buddies” and assisted players on the field and provided support and encouragement.

Government

Committee Debates Victory Field’s Dual Role as Athletic Complex and Park

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Plans to rehabilitate and renovate the track area at Victory Field began to take shape Tuesday night, but members of the Committee making recommendations about the project had trouble agreeing on some aspects of the project. The Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase II is made up of town officials, neighbors of the site and representatives of groups who use the site – the Watertown Public Schools and Watertown youth sports. The disagreements rose from the balance of the how much the use of the track and court areas should be athletics vs. being a public park and recreation area. What arose as an area of contention was something not for track and field, but a net to protect people from balls thrown or kicked by teams using the grass area inside the track.

Entertainment

Watertown Farmers Market Holding Grand Reopening Celebration

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The Watertown Farmers Market is back and this week organizers will celebrate with a grand reopening featuring music, art and activities, along with the all the vendors. The Farmers Market is held at the Arsenal on the Charles, in front of Panera, on Thursdays from 2-6 p.m.

The Farmers Market sent out the following announcement:

The Watertown Farmers’ Market is in full swing and to celebrate the new season we’re hosting a Grand Reopening Celebration! Come and join the festivities including live music, kids crafts, face painting, giveaways, and of course lots of local food! On your way into the market, be sure to stop by the Market Manager’s tent for free market giveaways (while supplies last) and sign up to be one of 4 lucky winners of $20 in market gift certificates! Join us each week for the very best of fresh, local food, meet the farmers and producers who make it all happen, and visit with good neighbors.

Bicycles

Protected Bike Lanes Included in Plans for Mt. Auburn Street Renovation

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The long-in-the-planning Mount Auburn Street renovation is taking shape, and Monday night plans for adding wider bike lanes to the major artery were shown to a packed meeting at Town Hall. The meeting brought together the Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. It came about after a meeting in December 2016 during which residents brought up concerns that the safety of bicyclists were not being included in the planning for Mt. Auburn Street. Talks about the renovation of the road, which goes from Watertown Square through East Watertown to Cambridge, began several years ago.

Around Town

Watertown Scouts Clear Invasive Plant from Community Path

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Watertown Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts teamed up last week to fight an invasion impacting gardens and open space across town. 

The Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 30 and Girl Scout Troop 63051 spread out along the Watertown Community Path – also known as the Watertown Greenway – to pull out as much Black Swallow Wort as they could in one evening. The vine that has shiny, waxy dark green leaves, has found its way into Watertown in recent years, said Eric Cordeiro, one of the Scout leaders. “I have lived in the East End for 17 years and never seen it until 3 or 4 years ago,” Cordeiro said. The Boy Scouts waded into the knee-deep grass to root out the invasive vines. Asked how they identify the plants, 16-year-old Nick Cordeiro said: “They have black, small flower.”

Business

Watertown Vegan Eatery Announces It Has Served Its Last Meal

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Watertown’s Wild Rice Vegan Cafe has served its last meal, owners announced this week. The restaurant that featured locally sourced vegan world cuisine “in a casual café environment,” closed after being in business for about a year and a half. The restaurant is owned by the team that runs Red Lentil on Mt. Auburn Street. Wild Rice served breakfast, lunch and dinner in the spot formerly occupied by Grappa, on Elm Street.